Imagery and Symbolism in "The Scarlet Ibis" — Quiz
Question 8 • English Language Arts 9
Read the excerpt from "The Scarlet Ibis.” That winter we didn’t make much progress, for I was in school and Doodle suffered from one bad cold after another. But when spring came, rich and warm, we raised our sights again. Success lay at the end of summer like a pot of gold, and our campaign got off to a good start. On hot days, Doodle and I went down to Horsehead Landing and I gave him swimming lessons or showed him how to row a boat. Sometimes we descended into the cool greenness of Old Woman Swamp and climbed the rope vines or boxed scientifically beneath the pine where he had learned to walk. Promise hung about us like the leaves, and wherever we looked, ferns unfurled and birds broke into song. Which sentences from the excerpt most emphasize that spring has become a symbol of hope for the boys? Choose three correct answers.
Answer
A
That winter we didn’t make much progress, for I was in school and Doodle suffered from one bad cold after another.
B
But when spring came, rich and warm, we raised our sights again.
C
Success lay at the end of summer like a pot of gold, and our campaign got off to a good start.
D
Sometimes we descended into the cool greenness of Old Woman Swamp and climbed the rope vines or boxed scientifically beneath the pine where he had learned to walk.
E
Promise hung about us like the leaves, and wherever we looked, ferns unfurled and birds broke into song.
Explanation
B signals renewed hope directly: with spring’s arrival, the boys “raised [their] sights again.” C reinforces that hopeful outlook by comparing their expected success to a “pot of gold” and saying their campaign began well. E connects the natural growth and singing birds with “Promise,” emphasizing the hope surrounding them. A describes setbacks, while D mainly describes what the boys did together.
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